Texas Remembers Baylor Bravado

AUSTIN (AP) _ For all the touchdowns Colt McCoy threw and all the points Texas scored against Baylor last season, one Bears player's disrespectful gesture early in the game is what Longhorns receiver

Friday, October 19th 2007, 11:08 am

By: News On 6

AUSTIN (AP) _ For all the touchdowns Colt McCoy threw and all the points Texas scored against Baylor last season, one Bears player's disrespectful gesture early in the game is what Longhorns receiver Quan Cosby remembers most.

``Their quarterback running down the field with the 'Horns down' sign,'' Cosby said. ``I haven't forgotten that.''

Time for a little payback?

The No. 19 Longhorns (5-2, 1-2) make the short drive up I-35 to Waco on Saturday with a chance to pull even in the Big 12 at the expense of the moribund Bears (3-4, 0-3).

After the first 0-2 conference start in more than 50 years, Texas players would like nothing more than to remind the Bears of their place at the bottom of the league and that they didn't appreciate former quarterback Shawn Bell's moment of bravado on the 'Horns homefield last season.

The Bears raced to a 10-0 lead last season, only to watch McCoy throw a school record six TD passes in a 63-31 Texas victory.

And it could get just as ugly again. Texas has won the last five meetings with Baylor by an average score of 51-9 and McCoy seems to have found his scoring touch again with six touchdown passes in the last two weeks. He threw four and ran for another last week against Iowa State.

``It looks to me like he's relaxed and moving forward and playing with the aggressiveness that he did this time last year,'' Longhorns coach Mack Brown said.

Meanwhile, the Bears' season is disintegrating with three straight losses under fifth-year coach Guy Morriss, who is starting to hear speculation that his job is on the line.

The Bears don't know if quarterback Blake Szymanski will be able to play Saturday after experiencing concussion-like symptoms after last week's 58-10 loss at Kansas. They also had to deal with an embarrassing episode this week with the suspension and eventual resignation of assistant coach Eric Schnupp, who was cited by police for urinating on a bar at a tavern.

If Szymanski, who has thrown 15 touchdowns but only one in Big 12 games, can't play, that leaves the Bears with transfer John David Week and Michael Machen.

``It is not the ideal situation,'' Morriss said. ``But it is the situation we are experiencing at this time we will evaluate those guys and try to make a determination to who gives us the best chance.''

If there's anything that scares Texas about the Bears, it's the wide-open passing offense similar to what the Longhorns will face against No. 22 Texas Tech later this season.

The 31 points Baylor scored against Texas last season were the most for the Bears in the annual rivalry since 1994. Brown called Tech's passing attack an ``air option,'' designed to keep defenses off balance and constantly guessing where the ball will go. Baylor hit on 67-yard touchdown on their first play against Texas last season.

``This will be a great test for us,'' Brown said. ``Defensive guys get excited about this type of offense just because it's rushing the passer.''

Texas cornerback Brandon Foster set a school season record last week with his third defensive touchdown coming on a second-half interception return. After getting no turnovers in their two losses, the Longhorns forced three last week against Iowa State.

``It's great if you can score on defense,'' Foster said. ``That definitely helps with momentum and team morale.''